How to become a teacher
Find information on how to become a teacher in NSW, including entry requirements for teaching degrees, what Professional Experience is, and how to find a teaching job in NSW.
Changes to the NSW Professional Experience (PEX) Policy
NESA has updated the requirements for PEX in NSW, including the replacement of the “Waiver B” process.
Want to know what’s changed? Read the revised PEX policy.
Decide on your preferred teaching area
Find out what’s involved in studying early childhood, primary, or secondary teaching areas.
Study an early childhood teaching degree approved by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
If you are studying an ACECQA-approved 1-year course, such as a Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate in early childhood, it must be part of a 4-year qualification package to be eligible for teacher accreditation in NSW (NESA requirement since 1 January 2026).
To study a graduate-entry teaching degree, your undergraduate degree must meet certain content requirements.
The best source of information on what to study is your chosen university or initial teacher education (ITE) provider. ITE providers in NSW are aware of NESA’s requirements. You can find providers that offer Primary specialisation programs on our accredited teaching degrees page.
Content requirements in your undergraduate degree are either:
- at least one year of full-time study relevant to a key learning area (KLA), for example, 8 semester-long units
- a combination of 8 units of study relevant to one or more of the KLAs from the primary school curriculum.
KLAs are:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science and Technology
- Human Society and its Environment
- Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
- Creative Arts.
NESA-recognised primary teaching specialisations
As a teacher education student, you may complete an optional NESA-recognised primary teaching specialisation. If your course provider offers it, this involves studying extra units in the content of your chosen KLA and how to teach it.
NESA-recognised primary teaching specialisations are:
- Mathematics
- Science and Technology
- Languages
- English.
Secondary teachers may teach one or more teaching areas from the NSW secondary school curriculum. Your initial teacher education studies must meet NESA’s Subject content knowledge (SCK) requirements policy.
If you have questions on what to study in your teaching degree to teach certain subjects or entry requirements into graduate-entry programs, you should contact your chosen university (or ITE provider). They will be able to advise you on the specific units you need to complete to meet the SCK policy.
Understand course entry requirements
To study undergraduate primary or secondary teaching, you must have achieved a minimum of 3 HSC Band 5s (including one in English), or do the following:
- pass bridging units benchmarked to a Band 5 HSC result
- enrol in an accredited degree that has 3-semester long units (totalling 0.375 EFTSL) of academic studies in the subjects you will teach before you begin studying teaching
- complete a NESA-approved alternative entry pathway as advised by your preferred university (or ITE provider).
HSC extension courses with Band E3 or above results meet the Band 5 requirement.
If you want to study primary teaching, you must also achieve a minimum of Band 4 in HSC Mathematics. This is in addition to the 3 Band 5 requirements outlined above.
If you did not achieve a Band 4 in HSC Mathematics, you can ask your preferred university (or ITE provider) for an approved comparable measure.
If you want to study an undergraduate degree to become an early childhood teacher, please contact your preferred university (or ITE provider) to discuss course entry requirements.
Choose a teaching degree
You can choose to become an early childhood, primary or a secondary school teacher.
Complete a qualification approved by ACECQA to become an early childhood teacher in NSW.
Read the qualifications information in the fact sheet First-time accreditation for early childhood teachers – understanding the TA Manual updates in October 2025 (PDF 130.26KB).
To be eligible for teacher accreditation in NSW complete one of the following:
- 4-year ACECQA-approved teaching degree
- 3-year undergraduate degree and 1-year ACECQA-approved Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate
- 3-year undergraduate degree and Master of Teaching.
View ACECQA’s list of universities and other providers that offer approved early childhood teaching qualifications. Visit the university or provider websites for course information including entry requirements.
Complete an accredited teaching degree. Most students complete one of the following:
- accredited 4-year teaching degree (for example a Bachelor of Education)
- accredited combined degree (for example a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education)
- relevant undergraduate degree and an accredited graduate-entry teaching degree (for example a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Teaching).
View our list of universities and other ITE providers that offer accredited teaching degrees. Visit their websites for course information including entry requirements, teaching areas offered, and special features.
Pass the national Literacy and Numeracy test
All NSW teacher education students must pass the national Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE). This is to prove that you have the literacy and numeracy skills expected of a teacher.
Universities (or ITE providers) must provide you with the opportunity to sit the test in your first year of study and you must have passed it before your final professional experience placement. From 1 August 2026, you will need to have passed LANTITE to be eligible for Conditional accreditation.
The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) administers the test. View test costs and registration closing dates and test window dates.
Complete your Professional Experience
During your teaching studies, you will need to complete Professional Experience (PEX).
Placements occur primarily in a school (or education setting). They allow you to develop your knowledge and understanding of students and how they learn, observe good teaching practices, and have your knowledge of teaching assessed.
NESA sets the minimum total number of days you must complete.
They are:
- 60 days for a 2-year full-time equivalent graduate entry program
- 80 days for a 4 or 5-year full-time equivalent undergraduate program.
Employment-based final PEX placement (incorporating the Teaching Performance Assessment)
If you are employed as a Conditionally accredited teacher in a school, your university (or ITE provider) may determine you are eligible to complete your final PEX placement, incorporating the Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA), at your school of employment (where this is supported by the school principal in the interests of curriculum continuity for students).
Want to find out more? Read Meet the Professional Experience requirements.
Apply for accreditation in NSW
To get a job as a teacher in NSW you must first get accredited.
There are 2 types of first-time accreditation:
- If you are still studying a teaching degree in Australia and have completed enough of your degree, you may be eligible for Conditional accreditation. Find out what specific evidence you need to apply.
- If you have graduated from a teaching degree in Australia, you may be eligible for Provisional accreditation. Find out what specific evidence you need to apply.
Apply for a teaching job
Once accredited you can apply for work with your employer of choice:
- NSW Government schools by contacting the NSW Department of Education
- Catholic schools by contacting one of the 11 Diocesan offices
- Independent and private schools by contacting the school directly
- Early childhood services by contacting the service directly.
Who to contact about requirements
Contact the education faculty at your chosen university (or ITE provider) if you need more information about the requirements to become a teacher.